Woman Randomly Killed On Pier Stroll With Dad

Woman Randomly Killed On Pier

The family of a woman randomly shot dead as she took an early evening stroll along a San Francisco pier have been speaking of their grief.

Kathryn Steinle, 32, was taking photos with her father when she was shot in the chest by a man who did not exchange words with her, police said.

Ms Steinle, who worked as a medical device sales representative, fell to the ground saying: “Dad, help me, help me.”

Her father tried to give her CPR as she lay mortally wounded on the ground at the popular tourist destination.

Police Sgt Mike Andraychak said: “The victim said something to her family members to the extent that she didn’t feel well.

“Like she realised something had taken place with respect to her and she fell to the ground.”

About a dozen people were on the pedestrian Pier 14 at the time of the killing at about 6.30pm on Wednesday evening.

Investigators used mobile phone photos taken by witnesses to hunt the suspect.

Police arrested a man about an hour later in front of a restaurant.

Francisco Sanchez, 45, a resident of Texas, has been formally charged with Ms Steinle’s murder.

The victim’s father, Jim Steinle, said she was snatched away in the prime of her life.

“She had so much to live for and died so senselessly,” he said. “It’s terrible.”

The suspect has been deported five times to Mexico, most recently in 2009, according to federal records.

He also has a criminal history involving seven felony convictions.

In March, he was released from a San Francisco jail after being arrested on suspicion of selling marijuana.

Immigration officials had requested he be kept in detention, but sheriff’s deputies freed him without notifying those authorities.

Police said the attack on Ms Steinle was not a robbery and there was no connection between her and the attacker.

Her brother, Brad Steinle, told reporters: “Cherish the people in your life, and who you love, and tell them you love them.

“‘Cause I’ll never get to tell my sister that I love her again.”

Police believe the gun was thrown into the water after the shooting.

A police boat with sonar equipment found what is believed to be the weapon.

Posted in USA